Back from Half-Term and After-School Classes

After a successful 10 week programme in Spring 2021, DFY is teaming up with ARK Franklin Primary School to deliver P.E. classes and after-school classes across the whole 2021/2022 school year.

We are delighted to continue working with the prestigious ARK Franklin Primary, a school that, like DFY, provides equal opportunities for children from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds. Almost half the students at ARK Franklin Primary are classified as ‘disadvantaged’. It is a term that carries a lot of weight – disadvantaged. It seems to settle like dust on the expectations of those who fall beneath it.

DFY (along with ARK Franklin) are determined to change that. With the help of athletes at the top of their field, we work to instil positive values such as respect, dedication, and ambition - providing the mental tools to overcome obstacles and become unstoppable.

Across the upcoming school year, over 540 children will be taught 15 P.E. courses per week by a dedicated team of DFY coaches. On the 27th of September, DFY also took over all sport-related after-school classes, 12 per week in total, which are offered free to those who cannot afford it.

In P.E. lessons, 2 expert coaches will engage students in team sports: rugby, football, netball, cricket, basketball, hockey, rounders, and multisport. These are taught alongside more independent disciplines including ballet, gymnastics, tennis, and athletics. Our after-school classes offer a similarly large scope of sporting activity with 8 coaches to engage and motivate approximately 400 students.

The benefits of physical activity in children cannot be understated, and by their nature the sports we teach encourage a healthy lifestyle, teamwork, communication, and confidence – but DFY will not settle for just that.

With our access to the best sporting talent in the country, we have created a team of ambassadors to bring unparalleled inspiration to the children. These include England international and Leicester Tigers fly-half Freddie Burns, British and Commonwealth Champion Zoe Smith, and Paralympic triathlete and European Champion Claire Cashmore MBE. They will share their lived experiences, imparting important values that extend beyond any curriculum.

Positive role models are important at a young age – especially for those children who may feel disenfranchised by societal pressures. In our previous 10 week programme with ARK Franklin in Spring 2021, 40% of our participants were from a BAME background and 47% were girls. Discrimination leads so often to feeling alienated from one’s community and one’s dreams, thus, our ambassadors provide tangible lessons of resilience that are completely invaluable.

DFY is thrilled and honoured to be able to make an impact in the lives of the children from diverse backgrounds. We have plans to expand our work in the future, to reach more children across several schools and bringing in one-on-one mentorship for those who really need it.

The sustained collaboration between DFY and ARK Franklin Primary School is a huge point of pride for our young charity. Yet, we hope it will bring even prouder moments to the children, equipping them with the skills to achieve their ambitions in lessons and beyond – making their world larger, their dreams bigger and their potential boundless. Put simply, with the help of DFY, they can #becomeunstoppable.